NASB — Matthew 23 — KJV

Pharisaism Exposed

1 aThen° Jesus° spoke° to the crowds° and to His disciples°, 2 saying°: aThe scribes° and the Pharisees° have seated° themselves° in the chair° of Moses°; 3 therefore° all° that they tell° you, do° and observe°, but do not do° according° to their deeds°; for they say° [things] and do not do° [them]. 4 aThey tie° up heavy° burdens° and lay° them on men’s° shoulders°, but they themselves° are unwilling°° to move° them with [so much as] a finger°. 5 But they do° all° their deeds° ato be noticed° by men°; for they bbroaden° their Iphylacteries° and lengthen° cthe tassels° [of their garments]. 6 They alove° the place° of honor° at banquets° and the chief° seats° in the synagogues°, 7 and respectful greetings° in the market° places°, and being called° aRabbi° by men°. 8 But ado not be called° bRabbi°; for One° is your Teacher°, and you are all° brothers°. 9 Do not call° [anyone] on earth° your father°; for aOne° is your Father°, He who is in heaven°. 10 Do not be called° Ileaders°; for One° is your Leader°, [that is], Christ°. 11 aBut the greatest° among you shall be your servant°. 12 aWhoever° exalts° himself° shall be humbled°; and whoever° humbles° himself° shall be exalted°.

[1] aMt 23:1-7: Mk 12:38, 39; Lk 20:45, 46
[2] aDt 33:3f; Ezr 7:6, 25; Ne 8:4
[4] aLk 11:46; Ac 15:10
[5] II.e. small cases containing Scripture texts worn on the left arm and forehead for religious purposes aMt 6:1, 5, 16 bEx 13:9; Dt 6:8; 11:18 cMt 9:20
[6] aLk 11:43; 14:7; 20:46
[7] aMt 23:8; 26:25, 49; Mk 9:5; 10:51; 11:21; Jn 1:38, 49; 3:2, 26; 4:31; 6:25; 9:2; 11:8; 20:16
[8] aJm 3:1 bMt 23:7; 26:25, 49; Mk 9:5; 10:51; 11:21; 14:45; Jn 1:38, 49; 3:2, 26; 4:31; 6:25; 9:2; 11:8; 20:16
[9] aMt 6:9; 7:11
[10] IOr teachers
[11] aMt 20:26
[12] aLk 14:11; 18:14

Eight Woes

13aBut woe° to you, scribes° and Pharisees°, hypocrites°, bbecause° you shut° off the kingdom° of heaven° Ifrom IIpeople°; for you do not enter° in yourselves°, nor° do you allow° those° who are entering° to go° in. 14 [[IWoe° to you, scribes° and Pharisees°, hypocrites°, because° ayou devour° widows’° houses°, and for a pretense° you make° long° prayers°; therefore°° you will receive° greater° condemnation°.]]

[13] ILit in front of IIGr anthropoi aMt 23:15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29 bLk 11:52
[14] IThis v not found in early mss aMk 12:40; Lk 20:47

15“Woe° to you, scribes° and Pharisees°, hypocrites°, because° you travel° around° on sea° and land° to make° one° Iaproselyte°; and when° he becomes° one, you make° him twice° as much° a son° of IIbhell° as yourselves°.

[15] IOr convert IIGr Gehenna aAc 2:10; 6:5; 13:43 bMt 5:22

16“Woe° to you, ablind° guides°, who say°, ‘bWhoever°° swears° by the Itemple°, [that] is nothing°; but whoever°° swears° by the gold° of the Itemple° is obligated°.’ 17 You fools° and blind° men°! aWhich° is Imore° important°, the gold° or° the IItemple° that sanctified° the gold°? 18 And, ‘Whoever°° swears° by the altar°, [that] is nothing°, but whoever°° swears° by the Ioffering° on it, he is obligated°.’ 19 You blind° men°, awhich° is Imore° important°, the IIoffering°, or° the altar° that sanctifies° the IIoffering°? 20 Therefore°, Iwhoever° swears° by the altar°, swears° [both] by IIthe altar° and by everything° on it. 21 And Iwhoever° swears° by the IItemple°, swears° [both] by IIIthe temple° and by Him who adwells° within° it. 22 And Iwhoever° swears° by heaven°, aswears° [both] by the throne° of God° and by Him who sits° upon it.

[16] IOr sanctuary aMt 15:14; 23:24 bMt 5:33-35
[17] ILit greater IIOr sanctuary aEx 30:29
[18] IOr gift
[19] ILit greater IIOr gift aEx 29:37
[20] ILit he who IILit it
[21] ILit he who IIOr sanctuary IIILit it a1K 8:13; Ps 26:8; 132:14
[22] ILit he who aIs 66:1; Mt 5:34

23aWoe° to you, scribes° and Pharisees°, hypocrites°! For you tithe° mint° and dill° and Icummin°, and have neglected° the weightier° provisions° of the law°: justice° and mercy° and faithfulness°; but these° are the things you should° have done° without° neglecting° the others°. 24 You ablind° guides°, who strain° out a gnat° and swallow° a camel°!

[23] ISimilar to caraway seeds aMt 23:13; Lk 11:42
[24] aMt 23:16

25“Woe° to you, scribes° and Pharisees°, hypocrites°! For ayou clean° the outside° of the cup° and of the dish°, but inside° they are full° Iof robbery° and self-indulgence°. 26 You blind° Pharisee°, first° aclean° the inside° of the cup° and of the dish°, so° that the outside° of it may become° clean° also°.

[25] IOr as a result of aMk 7:4; Lk 11:39f
[26] aMk 7:4; Lk 11:39f

27aWoe° to you, scribes° and Pharisees°, hypocrites°! For you are like° whitewashed° tombs° which° on the outside° appear° beautiful°, but inside° they are full° of dead° men’s° bones° and all° uncleanness°. 28 So° you, too°, outwardly° appear° righteous° to men°, but inwardly° you are full° of hypocrisy° and lawlessness°.

[27] aLk 11:44; Ac 23:3

29aWoe° to you, scribes° and Pharisees°, hypocrites°! For you build° the tombs° of the prophets° and adorn° the monuments° of the righteous°, 30 and say°, ‘If° we had been° [living] in the days° of our fathers°, we would not have been° partners° with them in [shedding] the blood° of the prophets°.’ 31 So° you testify° against yourselves°, that you aare Isons° of those° who murdered° the prophets°. 32 Fill° up, then°, the measure° [of the guilt] of your fathers°. 33 You serpents°, ayou brood° of vipers°, how° Iwill you escape° the IIsentence° of IIIbhell°?

[29] aLk 11:47f
[31] IOr descendants aMt 23:34, 37; Ac 7:51f
[33] ILit would IIOr judgment IIIGr Gehenna aMt 3:7; Lk 3:7 bMt 5:22

34aTherefore°°, behold°, bI am sending° you prophets° and wise° men° and scribes°; some° of them you will kill° and crucify°, and some° of them you will cscourge° in your synagogues°, and dpersecute° from city° to city°, 35 so° that upon you may fall° [the guilt of] all° the righteous° blood° shed° on earth°, from the blood° of righteous° aAbel° to the blood° of Zechariah°, the bson° of Berechiah°, whom° cyou murdered° between° the Itemple° and the altar°. 36 Truly° I say° to you, all° these° things° will come° upon athis° generation°.

[34] aMt 23:34-36; Lk 11:49-51 b2Ch 36:15, 16 cMt 10:17 dMt 10:23
[35] IOr sanctuary aGn 4:8ff; He 11:4 bZc 1:1 c2Ch 24:21
[36] aMt 10:23; 24:34

Lament over Jerusalem

37aJerusalem°, Jerusalem°, who bkills° the prophets° and stones° those° who are sent° to her! How° often° I wanted° to gather° your children° together°, cthe way° a hen° gathers° her chicks° under° her wings°, and you were unwilling°°. 38 Behold°, ayour house° is being left° to you desolate°! 39 For I say° to you, from now° on you will not see° Me until° you say°, ‘aBLESSED° IS HE WHO COMES° IN THE NAME° OF THE LORD°!’”

[37] aMt 23:37-39: Lk 13:34, 35 bMt 5:12 cRu 2:12
[38] a1K 9:7f; Jr 22:5
[39] aPs 118:26; Mt 21:9


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Christ admonisheth the people to follow the good doctrine, not the evil examples of the scribes and Pharisees.

1 ¶ Thenº spakeºª Jesusº to the² multitude,º andº to his¹² disciples,º 2 Saying,ºª The² scribesº andº the² Phariseesº sitºª inº Moses'º seat:º 3 Allº thereforeº whatsoeverºº they bidºª youº observe,ºª [that] observeºª andº do;ºª butº doºª notº ye afterº theirº works:º forº they say,ºª andº doºª not.º 4 Forº they bindºª heavyº burdensº andº grievous to be borne,º andº layºª [them] onº men'sº shoulders;º butº they [themselves] willºª notº moveºª themº with one of their¹² fingers.º

[1] Mt 15:10; Mk 7:14; Lk 12:1, 57; 20:45.
[2] Ne 8:4; Mal 2:7; Mk 12:38; Lk 20:46.
[3] Ex 18:19, 23; Dt 4:5; 5:27; 17:9; 2Ch 30:12; Ps 50:16; Mt 15:2; 21:30; Ac 5:29; Ro 2:19; 13:1; 2Ti 3:5; Tit 1:16.
[4] Mt 11:28; 23:23; Lk 11:46; Ac 15:10, 28; Ga 6:13; Rv 2:24.

His disciples must beware of their ambition.

5 Butº allº their¹² worksº they doºª for¹ to be seenºª of men:º¹ they² make broadºª their¹² phylacteries,º andº enlargeºª the² bordersº of their¹² garments,º 6 Andº loveºª the² uppermost roomsº atº feasts,º andº the² chief seatsº inº the² synagogues,º 7 Andº greetingsº inº the² markets,º andº to be calledºª ofº men,º Rabbi,º Rabbi.º 8 Butº be¹ª notº yeº calledºª Rabbi:º forº oneº isºª yourº Master,º [even] Christ;º andº allº yeº areºª brethren.º 9 Andº callºª noº [man] yourº fatherº uponº the² earth:º forº oneº isºª yourº Father,º whichº is inº heaven.º 10 Neitherº be ye calledºª masters:º forº oneº isºª yourº Master,º [even] Christ.º 11 Butº he that is greatestº among youº shall beºª yourº servant.º 12 Andº whosoeverº shall exaltºª himselfº shall be abased;ºª andº heº that shall humbleºª himselfº shall be exalted.ºª

[5] Nu 15:38; Dt 6:8; 22:12; 2K 10:16; Pv 3:3; 6:21; Mt 6:1; 9:20; Lk 16:15; 20:47; 21:1; Jn 5:44; 7:18; 12:43; Php 1:15; 2:3; 2Th 2:4.
[6] Pv 25:6; Mt 20:21; Mk 12:38; Lk 11:43; 14:7; 20:46; Ro 12:10; Jm 2:1; 3Jn 1:9.
[7] Jn 1:38, 49; 3:2, 26; 6:25; 20:16.
[8] Mt 10:25; 17:5; 23:10; 26:49; Lk 22:32; Jn 13:13; Ro 14:9; 1Co 1:12; 3:3; 2Co 1:24; 4:5; Ep 3:15; Col 1:1; Jm 3:1; 1P 5:3; Rv 1:9; 19:10; 22:9.
[9] 2K 2:12; 6:21; 13:14; Jb 32:21; Mal 1:6; Mt 6:8, 32; Ac 22:1; Ro 8:14; 1Co 4:15; 2Co 6:18; 1Ti 5:1; He 12:9; 1Jn 3:1.
[11] Mt 20:26; Mk 10:43; Lk 22:26; Jn 13:14; 1Co 9:19; 2Co 4:5; 11:23; Ga 5:13; Php 2:5.
[12] Jb 22:29; Ps 138:6; Pv 15:33; 16:18; 29:23; Is 57:15; Dn 4:37; Mt 5:3; 18:4; Lk 1:51; 14:11; 18:14; Jm 4:6; 1P 5:5.

He denounceth eight woes against their hypocrisy and blindness:

13Butº woeº unto you,º scribesº andº Pharisees,º hypocrites!º forº ye shut upºª the² kingdomº of heavenº againstº men:º forº yeº neither¹² go inºª [yourselves], neither¹² suffer² ye¹ª them that are enteringºª to go in.ºª 14 ² Woeº unto you,º scribesº andº Pharisees,º hypocrites!º forº ye devourºª widows'º houses,º andº for a pretenceº make¹ª long¹ prayer:ºª² thereforeºº ye shall receiveºª the greater¹² damnation.º 15 Woeº unto you,º scribesº andº Pharisees,º hypocrites!º forº ye compassºª seaº andº landº to makeºª oneº proselyte,º andº whenº he is made,ºª ye makeºª himº twofold moreº the childº of hellº than yourselves.º 16 Woeº unto you,º [ye] blindº guides,º which¹ say,ºª Whosoeverºº shall swearºª byº the² temple,º it isºª nothing;º butº whosoeverºº shall swearºª byº the² goldº of the² temple,º he is a debtor!ºª 17 [Ye] foolsº andº blind:º forº whetherº isºª greater,º the² gold,º orº the² templeº that sanctifiethºª the² gold?º 18 And,º Whosoeverºº shall swearºª byº the² altar,º it isºª nothing;º butº whosoeverºº swearethºª byº the² giftº that² is uponº it,º he is guilty.ºª 19 [Ye] foolsº andº blind:º forº whetherº [is] greater,º the² gift,º orº the² altarº that sanctifiethºª the² gift?º 20 Whoso therefore¹ shall swearºª² byº the² altar,º swearethºª byº it,º andº byº all thingsº thereon.ºº 21 And¹ whoso shall swearºª byº the² temple,º swearethºª byº it,º andº byº him that dwelleth¹ª therein.º² 22 Andº he that shall swearºª byº heaven,º swearethºª byº the² throneº of God,º andº byº him that sittethºª thereon.ºº 23 Woeº unto you,º scribesº andº Pharisees,º hypocrites!º for¹² ye pay titheºª of mintº andº aniseº andº cummin,º andº have omittedºª the² weightierº [matters] of the² law,º judgment,ºº mercy,º andº faith:º theseº ought² ye¹ª to have done,ºª and notº to leaveºª the otherº undone.ºª 24 [Ye] blindº guides,º which strain² at¹ª a gnat,º andº swallowºª a camel.º 25 Woeº unto you,º scribesº andº Pharisees,º hypocrites!º forº ye make cleanºª the² outsideº of the² cupº andº of the² platter,º butº withinº they are fullºª ofº extortionº andº excess.º 26 [Thou] blindº Pharisee,º cleanseºª firstº that² [which is] withinº the² cupº andº platter,º thatº the² outsideº of themº may beºª cleanº also.º 27 Woeº unto you,º scribesº andº Pharisees,º hypocrites!º forº ye are like¹ª unto² whitedºª sepulchres,º whichº indeedº appearºª beautifulº outward,º butº are within¹ fullºª² of deadº [men's] bones,º andº of allº uncleanness.º 28 Even soº yeº alsoº¹ outwardlyº² appearºª righteousº unto men,º butº withinº ye areºª fullº of hypocrisyº andº iniquity.º 29 Woeº unto you,º scribesº andº Pharisees,º hypocrites!º becauseº ye buildºª the² tombsº of the² prophets,º andº garnishºª the² sepulchresº of the² righteous,º 30 Andº say,ºª Ifº we had beenºª inº the² daysº of ourº fathers,º we would¹ notº have beenºª² partakersº with themº inº the² bloodº of the² prophets.º 31 Whereforeº ye be witnessesºª unto yourselves,º thatº ye areºª the childrenº of them which killedºª the² prophets.º 32 Fill¹ª ye¹ upºª² thenº the² measureº of yourº fathers.º 33 [Ye] serpents,º [ye] generationº of vipers,º howº can ye¹ª escapeº² the² damnationº of hell?º

[13] Is 9:14; 33:14; Zc 11:17; Mt 21:31; 23:14, 27, 29; Lk 11:43, 52; Jn 7:46; 9:22, 24, 34; Ac 4:17; 5:28, 40; 8:1; 13:8; 1Th 2:15; 2Ti 3:8; 4:15.
[14] Ex 22:22; Jb 22:9; 31:16; Mt 11:24; 23:33; Mk 12:40; Lk 12:48; 20:47; 2Ti 3:6; Tit 1:10; Jm 3:1; 2P 2:3, 14.
[15] Es 8:17; Jn 8:44; Ac 2:10; 13:10, 43; 14:2, 19; 17:5, 13; Ga 4:17; 6:12; Ep 2:3.
[16] Is 56:10; Mt 5:33; 15:5, 14; 23:17, 19, 24, 26; Mk 7:10; Jn 9:39; Ga 5:3; Jm 5:12.
[17] Ex 30:26; Nu 16:38; Ps 94:8; Mt 23:19.
[18] Mt 23:15.
[19] Ex 29:37; 30:29.
[21] 1K 8:13, 27; 2Ch 6:2; 7:2; Ps 26:8; 132:13; Ep 2:22; Col 2:9.
[22] Ps 11:4; Is 66:1; Mt 5:34; Ac 7:49; Rv 4:2.
[23] 1S 15:22; Pv 21:3; Jr 22:15; Ho 6:6; Mi 6:8; Mt 5:19; 9:13; 12:7; 22:37; Lk 11:42; Ga 5:22.
[24] Mt 7:4; 15:2; 19:24; 27:6; Lk 6:7; Jn 18:28, 40.
[25] Is 28:7; Mt 15:19; Mk 7:4; Lk 11:39.
[26] Is 55:7; Jr 4:14; 13:27; Ezk 18:31; Mt 12:33; Lk 6:45; 2Co 7:1; He 10:22; Jm 4:8.
[27] Nu 19:16; Is 58:1; Lk 11:44; Ac 23:3.
[28] 1S 16:7; Ps 51:6; Jr 17:9; Mt 12:34; 15:19; 23:5; Mk 7:21; Lk 16:15; He 4:12.
[29] Lk 11:47; Ac 2:29.
[30] 2Ch 36:15; Jr 2:30; Mt 21:35; 23:34.
[31] Jsh 24:22; Jb 15:5; Ps 64:8; Lk 19:22; Ac 7:51; 1Th 2:15.
[32] Gn 15:16; Nu 32:14; Zc 5:6.
[33] Gn 3:15; Ps 58:3; Is 57:3; Mt 3:7; 12:34; 21:34; 23:14; Lk 3:7; Jn 8:44; 2Co 11:3; He 2:3; 10:29; 12:25; Rv 12:9.

and prophesieth of the destruction of Jerusalem.

34Wherefore,ºº behold,ºª Iº sendºª untoº youº prophets,º andº wise men,º andº scribes:º andº [some] ofº themº ye shall killºª andº crucify;ºª andº [some] ofº themº shall ye scourgeºª inº yourº synagogues,º andº persecuteºª [them] fromº cityº toº city:º 35 Thatº uponº youº may comeºª allº the righteousº bloodº shedºª uponº the² earth,º fromº the² bloodº of righteousº Abelº untoº the² bloodº of Zachariasº sonº of Barachias,º whomº ye slewºª betweenº the² templeº andº the² altar.º 36 Verilyº I sayºª unto you,º Allº these thingsº shall comeºª uponº thisº generation.º 37 O Jerusalem,º Jerusalem,º [thou] that killestºª the² prophets,º andº stonestºª them which are sentºª untoº thee,º how oftenº would² I¹ª have gathered¹ª thy¹¹ children¹ together,ºª²² even asº² a henº gatherethºª herº chickensº underº [her] wings,º andº ye wouldºª not!º 38 Behold,ºª yourº houseº is leftºª unto youº desolate.º 39 Forº I sayºª unto you,º Ye shall¹ª notº seeºª meº henceforth,ºº tillºº ye shall say,ºª Blessedºª [is] he that comethºª inº the nameº of the Lord.º

[34] Pv 11:30; Mt 10:16; 13:52; 28:19; Lk 11:49; 24:47; Jn 16:2; 20:21; Ac 1:8; 5:40; 7:51, 58; 9:1; 11:27; 12:2; 13:1; 14:19; 15:32; 22:19; 1Co 2:6; 3:10; 12:3; 2Co 11:24; Ep 4:8; Col 1:28; 1Th 2:16; He 11:37; Rv 11:10.
[35] Gn 4:8; 9:5; Nu 35:33; Dt 21:7; 2K 21:16; 24:4; 2Ch 24:20; Is 26:21; Jr 2:30, 34; 26:15, 23; Lm 4:13; Zc 1:1; Lk 11:51; He 11:4; 12:24; 1Jn 3:11; Rv 18:24.
[36] Ezk 12:21; Mt 24:34; Mk 13:30; Lk 21:32.
[37] Dt 32:11; Ru 2:12; 2Ch 24:21; 36:15; Ne 9:26; Ps 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 63:7; 81:8; 91:4; Pv 1:24; Is 50:2; Jr 2:30; 4:14; 6:8, 16; 11:7; 25:3; 26:23; 35:15; 42:9; 44:4; Ho 11:2, 7; Zc 1:4; Mt 5:12; 21:35; 22:3, 6; 23:30; Mk 12:3; Lk 13:34; 14:17; 15:28; 19:14; 20:11; Ac 7:51; 1Th 2:15; Rv 11:7, 8; 17:6.
[38] 2Ch 7:20; Ps 69:24; Is 64:10; Jr 7:9; Dn 9:26; Zc 11:1, 6; 14:1; Mt 24:2; Mk 13:14; Lk 13:35; 19:43; 21:6, 20, 24; Ac 6:13.
[39] Ps 118:26; Is 40:9; Ho 3:4; Zc 12:10; Mt 21:9; Lk 2:26; 10:22; 17:22; Jn 8:21, 24, 56; 14:9, 19; Ro 11:25; 2Co 3:14.


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